Yes, there are Bingo regulations in the Colorado Constitution, so Bingo’s on the ballot! Image by Abbey Hendrickson
In Brief: Amendment C would allow nonprofits to apply for a bingo-raffle license after three years in existence, instead of the current five years. It would allow workers who are not part of the nonprofit organization to conduct the games, while currently workers must be members of the organization. Finally, it would allow workers to receive compensation, when currently workers must be unpaid volunteers.
The Colorado General Assembly put Amendment C on the ballot by passing House Concurrent Resolution 20-1001, and it passed with strong bipartisan support. Amendment C would amend the Colorado Constitution, and it requires at least 55% voter approval to pass.
Amendment C Pro:
- Gaming can be a source of revenue for nonprofits, and having adequate personnel can help operations run at greater capacity, potentially boosting revenue.
- It’s not always easy to find volunteers, and compensation might help a person decide to take on some hours.
- Paid workers will spend money somewhere in their local economies.
Amendment C Con:
- Passing Amendment C could inject some new financial elements into gaming, potentially increasing overhead for the nonprofits and creating a need for increased revenue.
Richard’s Take: Vote YES. Passing Amendment C would indeed bring some elements of increased financial involvement into relevant nonprofits, but I don’t believe Coloradans across the state should be concerned. Amendment C would not require nonprofits to hire paid workers, offer other types of compensation, or hire from outside the organization, so nonprofits could still remain low-budget and/or all-volunteer if they prefer.
